Check-controlled apparatus.



No; 753,823. I A PATBNTED MAR, 1, 1904.

' Y. QAOALDWELL & L. M. MARTIN.

CHECK CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

. APPLICATION FILED M Y 6. 1903. A R0 MODEL. A 5 SHEETS-BEBE! 1.

I m'zeaded/ I A I Jolt/118% 5' z fi PATENTED MAR. '1, 1904.

No. 753,823. Y. Q. GALDWELL Gz L. M. MARTIN. CHECK CONTROLLED APPARATUS; n o nonnn. ANIMATION FILED! 1903 snnn1's -snnnr z.,

No. 753,823. PATENTED MAR. l, 1904.

-Y. Q. CALDWELL 6: L. M. MARTIN.

CHECK CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

L T H 6. 1903. N0 MODEL. APP Q I0 FILED HAY 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 753,823. PATENTEDMAR.1,I904. i .l

' Y. Q. CALDWELL & L. M. MARTIN.

011501: CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

' APPLIOATION FILED MAY 6. 1903. H0 MODEL. M 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4;.

m: Noam! PETERS 06, vuo'raumo. WA$HXNGTON, a. c.

- I PATENTED MAR. 1,1904. v Y.4Q.GALDWBLL & L. M.MARTIN.

011301: CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 6. 1903.

I0 IODEL. 5 SHEETB-SHEET 5.

we scams vzngng Fnblo-uj'ua. wAsumuTrm. n" c.

UNITED STATES F Patented March 1, 1904.

PATENT "OFFI E.

YANCEY Q. CALDWELL, OF PARIS, AND LOUIS -M. MARTIN, OF MARTIN, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO FREDERICK G. HARTELL,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CHECK-CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 753,823, dated March 1,

Application filed May 6; 1903. Serial No. 155,89 7i (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, YANG EY Q. CALDWE L, residing at Paris, in the county of Henry, and LoUIs M. MARTIN, residing at Martin, in the county of Weakley, State of Tennessee, citizens of the United States, have invented new and useful Improvements in Check-Controlled Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a check-controlled apparatus.

The apparatus is primarily intended for vending cigars, and the check'by which the vending mechanism is governed in the pres- I 5 cut case is a nickel or five-cent piece; but the invention is not limited in either of theserespects, for certain features of the apparatus may be used in .other connections and the parts may be so organized that an article other than a nickel may be employed for causing the operation of the device.

' In the drawingsaccompanying and forming a part of this specification we have illustrated one simple and convenient adaptation of the 2 5 apparatus. y

We desire at this point to state that we do not restrict ourselvesto such disclosure, for many variations may be made within the scope of our claims succeeding the following description.

Referring to said drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus involving our invention. Fig. 2 is asectional side elevation of the apparatus as seen from the right of 3 5 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation as seen from the left of Fig. 1, the casing of the apparatus being removed. Fig. 4 is a detail front elevationof certain of the parts inclosed bythe lower portion ofthe casing. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the coin and plunger receiving channels with one wall of the same removed and showing a nickelin the path of the plunger. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing a lead disk impaled upon a gravity-dog and also representing a washer as being diverted out of the coin channel or runway. This figure also shows a coin in position to operate an actuator for the coin or slug stop. Fig. 7 is a detail view in perspective of the channels and the detent, stop, and cooperative devices. Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the slide which carries the receiver for the cigars or other articles of merchandise. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal central sectional elevation of said slide. 1 Fig.

10 is a front view of the box-holding means. Like characters of reference denote like parts throughout the views.

The different parts of the apparatus are" housed within a casing. The casing shown is denoted by 2, ithaving an enlarged lower part in which the working parts of the apparatus are inclosed and a reduced upper part the sides, front,.and rear of which are made of some transparent material, such as glass, so

that in the case of cigars in said upper reduced part revenue ofiicers can readily see into the same to ascertain if the revenue laws have been properly complied with, while prospective purchasers can see the name of the cigar. Other advantages follow this particularfstructure which we do not deem it necessaryto state, as'they are clearly obvious.

Within the upper part of the casing means 7 are provided for removably sustaining a cigar- :lOOX from which the cigars are successively withdrawn by the check-controlled vending mechanism and delivered to a buyer, as will hereinafter appear.

" Within the lower part of the casing 2 and suitably mounted therein are the substantially yoke-shaped frame members 3, which support some of the parts of the apparatus.for. ex-

ample, the slide 4, which is reciprocative upon the horizontally-alined tops of said frame members, which, it will be observed, are

vertically disposed and in parallelism with each other.

The slide 4 consists of a plate I which may be in the form of a casting and which is movable back and forth under the cigar-box. The cigar-box is set vertically its lower end removed or turned back in order to permit the passage of the cigars from the box into a receiver shiftably carried by said slide, as will hereinafter appear.

.9 above the slide with what might be considered Upon the horizontal portions of the frame members 3 are mounted the blocks 5, suitably fastened thereto and from which, upon the inner faces thereof, the uprights or standards 6 rise, the cigar-box being fitted between these standards.

Set-screws 7 are tapped through the uprights or standards 6 substantially midway of their height, one of them being adapted to bear against one side of the cigar-box, while the other one bears against the opened lid thereof.

Slightly-bowed springs, as 8, are fastened at their inner ends to the respective uprights or standards 6 below the set-screws 7 and extend inward and downward from the standards, bearing near their free ends against what might be considered the lower end of the box in order to steady said box. The springs terminatein inwardly-disposed feet, which fit under the lower ends of the sides of the box in order to uphold the same, the open front side of the box fitting against thefront glass side of the upper portion of the casing. A cross-bar 9 unites the standards at their tops. Surmounting the cross-bar and suitably attached thereto is a plate 10, which may bear upon its front face any desirable mattersuch, for example, as the printed directions for causing the operation of the apparatus. The rear side of the upper glazed portion of the casingis furnished with a door by which access may be had to the interior of said portion to remove an empty box and then introduce a full one.

In the main portion of the casing 2, below the slide 4, are mounted complemental plates 11, arranged in parallelism and separated a distance slightly in excess of the width of a nickel,which in the present case is the coin that effects the operation of the apparatus.

Inclined legs, as 12, depend from the complemental plates 11 and are suitably fastened to the base piece which carries the frame members 3. One of the plates 11 has beads 12 upon the inner face thereof, which, with the plates, constitute a channel through which the coins or checks are adapted to travel.

A horizontally-disposed rock-shaft 13 is supported by suitable bearings upon the channeled plates 11, it fixedly carrying at its outer end the rockarm 14, connected by a loose joint, which may be a pin-and-slot one, to the lower end of the hand-lever 15, which lever is fulcrumed between its ends to the outer rockshaft-carrying bracket. This hand-lever 15 operates the vending mechanism, but is normally locked against movement by check or coin controlled means, as will hereinafter appear, and it extends upward through a slot in the top of the main portion of the casing 2, where its handle is within easy reach of pro spective purchasers of cigars. Upon the inner end of. the rock-shaft 13 is suitably fastened the spider 16. four arms, (denoted, respectively, by 17, 18,

This spider is shown as having- 19, and 20.) A link 21 is jointed to the inner end of the slide 4, upon the lower side thereof, and to the upper end of the spider-arm 17, said link being downwardly bowed between its ends, so as not to interfere with certain of the parts depending from said slide.

To the outer end of the arm '20 is connected in some suitable manner a lifter 22 for the cigar receiver or carrier 23,which is supported by thehorizontally-reciprocative slide 4. The upper end of the lifter or bar 22 is adapted to engage the cigar receiver or carrier 23 upon the under side thereof, approximately centrally between its ends, in order to elevate the said cigar receiver or carrier, as will hereinafter appear.

The cigar receiver or carrier 23 is illustrated as consisting of an elongated block working vertically through a slot or aperture of proper size in the slide 4 and as having a concave seat or channel in its upper side, into which a cigar is adapted to roll from the cigar-box held between the standards or uprights 6.

Guide-links 24, arranged in parallelism with each other, are jointed to the under side of the cigar receiver or carrier 23 and extend forward therefrom and are likewise connected to depending projections upon the forward side of the slide 4.

The cigar receiver or carrier 23 works up and down in the guide device 25, which is shown as consisting of a series of walls disposed approximately rectangularly to each other depending from the slide 4. The front wall of the guide device 25 has vertical slits extending upward from the lower edge thereof and in which the guide-links 24 play. The end walls of the guide device are provided with inwardly-extending flanges having interiorly-threaded perforations to receive the adjusting-screws 26, the upper ends of which bear against the cigar receiver or carrier 23 near its ends when the same is in its lowermost position. By running these screws up or down the vertical stroke of the cigar-receiver may be adjusted in order to adapt the same to receive cigars that vary in diameter.

It will be understood that when the parts are in their normal positions, in which they are locked by coin-controlled means, the cigar receiver or carrier 23 will be in a position with its upper side wall above the corresponding portion of the slide 4, which, with the handlever, are in their extreme advanced positions, and the concaved upper side of said cigar receiver or carrier will be within the slot 23 in the top of the main portion of the casing, with its upper face substantially flush with the corresponding face ofsaid top. When a coin of and thrust rearward, whereby the spider 16 is rotated. During the rotation of the spider the arm 20 thereof serves, through the intermediate'link 21, to move the slide rearward, the spider-arm 20 being simultaneously moved downward. The result will be that thelifter 22 moves away from the cigar receiver or carrier 23, whereby the latter can drop to permit the rearward motion of the slide, the up per edge of said cigar-receiver reaching a point below the slide when the latter occupies its extreme backward position. The slide 4 has to the rear of the slot therein, through which the said receiver or carrier works, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined portion 27, down" which the cigars are adapted to'roll one at a time into the concaved seat or channel in the cigar receiveror carrier. When the hand-leveris moved forward, it will-through the intermediate. connections move the slide in a corresponding direction, the lifter 22, by means of the spider-arm 20 on the rearward rotation of the spider, being thrust upward, so as to elevate the cigar-receiver, the upper side of which is brought into coincidence with the corresponding portionof the slide just before the latter reaches its extreme advanced position. On the continued motion of the parts the cigar-receiver is moved to its primary po sition. The forward motion of the slide 4 is a relatively rapid one, so that the cigar from the receiver will be projected through the slot 23 in the top of the main portion ofthe casing 2 and'onto the upper surface of said top, where it may be had by the purchaser.

A weight 28 of suitable efficiency is suspended from the arm 18 of the spider. 7 When a spurious check of a certain kind is introduced into the apparatus, the hand-lever 15 may be operated a certain distance, .as will hereinafter appear. The weight is provided to automatically return the spider, and consequently the hand-lever 15, to the initial positions thereof, so that such hand-lever will be in position for operation upon the introduc-' tion of a correct coin.

The complemental plates 11 comprise an upper or obtuse angular portion and a lower or horizontal portion in order to provide for a main channel or runway 11* for the coins, which is formed by said obtuse angular portions, and an auxiliary channel 11, which is transverse to the vertical portion'of the coinrunway and which is formed by the horizontal portions of said plates. The upper branch of the main channel or coin-runway 11 is at a comparatively steep inclination, to thereby cause the rapid passage of the coins therethrough. I

In the horizontal channel 11 is a reciprocative plunger 29, which is shown as consisting of a plate having a concavity 30 at its forward end, into which a check of the correct diameter is adapted to be seatedas said plunger isiadvanced. The plunger is guided during its stroke by the superposed beads form- I ing the upper andlower walls of the channel 11 and is pivotally connected near its rear end to the lower end of the link 31, shown as 1 being of compound curvilinear form; The pivot which unites the slide and link has a movement in a longitudinal slot in one of-the plates 11. 31 is jointed to the spider-arm 19, whereby the plunger will be advanced upon the rotation of the spider by and on the working movement of the hand-lever 15, when said lever is released by the proper coin. bottom of the channel 11', in which the plunger 29 works and in coincidencewith the vertical portion of the coin channel or runway The upper or outer end of the link In the 11" is a slot 11, which is of slightly greater 1 length than the diameter of a nickel, for 'a reason that will hereinafter appear.

We provide a detent for normally preventing the movement of the plunger 29, as 1I1' case the plunger could have a full strokethe surreptitious removal of the cigars would follow, such detent being in position to be operated by a nickel to release the plunger. The detent is denoted by 32, and it has a relatively long arm pivotally suspended fromalugupon one of the plates 11 and provided with a working portion adapted to project through a slot in the plate which supports the same. It will be understood that the working or looking portion of the detent is within the path of the coins as they leave the runway 11. When thecoins strike the working or looking portion of the detent, they thrust the same outward, thereby moving said working or locking portion out of the path of the plunger 29 to release the latter. The pendent detent is held normally in position to block the movement of the plunger by a light spring 33, fastened at one end to the plate 11; which carries said detent and bears at its other end against the working or locking portion of the detent to thereby hold the same normally in the channel 11'. After the coin has passed out of contact with the detent the, latter will be returned to its initial position, by the spring 33.

It will be assumed that a nickel has passed from the coin-runway and has shifted the detent 32 out of the path of the plunger.- After doing this such nickel will rest upon a stop,

as will hereinafter appear, in line horizontally with the concaved front end of the plunger. With the nickel in such position the handlever 15 may be operated its full stroke by a.

purchaser so as to move the cigar receiver or carrier 23 first into and then outof its cigarreceiving position.

it will eject the coin from the rear end of the As the plunger advances front end of the channel being downwardly inclined to facilitate the gravitation of the coin therefrom.

The entering end of the coin-runway 11 registers with a slot in the front wall of the casing 2, through which a coin is initially passed by a prospective purchaser in order to enter said coin-runway, and thereby effect the operation of vending mechanism to secure a cigar.

It is found that in cigar-vending machines unscrupulous persons frequently introduce lead disks of the size of a nickel with the object of securing the operation of the apparatus; but we provide means, as will now appear, for preventing such results.

Upon the upper rear side of the transverse or plunger-receiving channel 11 is pivoted the gravity-dog 35, the free end of which is pointed or toothed and arranged in the path of the coins or disks as they are advanced by the plunger 29. The pointed or toothed end of this dog will penetrate or enter a lead disk, but cannot do so with a nickel, owing to the hardness of the latter. When a nickel is in horizontal line with the concavity 30 and when the plunger is advanced, such coin will be seated in said concavity 30 after the plunger has moved a short distance, so that the periphery of such nickel will engage the pointed end of the gravity-dog 35 and will lift said dog, whereby the plunger can have a complete stroke to insure the operation of the vending mechanism. When, however, a lead disk is in the path of the plunger and the plunger is advanced, the lead disk will be carried by said plunger against the pointed end of the dog 35, so that such pointed end will penetrate the disk, and consequently prevent the full stroke of the plunger and the operation of the vending mechanism.

Vi e provide means, as will now appear, for effecting the release of a lead disk after its penetration by the gravity-dog 35 in order that the machine may be subsequently operated by a nickel. The nickels and disks as they leave the coin-runway fall upon a pin 36,projecting inward into the plunger-receiving channel 11", from a spring-arm 37, fastened at one end upon the plate 11, which carries the detent 32, the pin beinglocated near the free end of said spring-arm and being held in its Working position by the automatic action of said springarm. Of course when a lead disk is penetrated by the gravity-dog 35 it will rest upon the pin .36. When, however, said pin is carried from under the disk, the latter will drop and will pass through the slot 11 and onto the bottom of the casing, the hand-lever 15 in the meantime having been returned to its normal position by the weight 28. The pin constitutes a suitable stop for holding the nickels or lead disks in the path of the plunger 29. The movement of said pin or stop 36 in a direction to free the lead disks is secured by carrying the free portion of the spring-arm 37 outward, and this in the present instance is obtained by a coin-operated actuator or lever, as 38. This lever 38 is shown as being of approximately elbow form, the long arm thereof being fulcrumed between ears upon the upper sides of the plates 11, while the short arm thereof is adapted to engage an outwardlybeveled portion or face at the free end of the spring-arm 37. The free end of the long arm of the lever 38 is disposed at the upper side of the entering end of the coin-runway 11, and it has a depending projection 39, adapted to be operated by the coins or disks. When a check or disk enters the runway, its periphery will engage the projection 39 and will raise the long arm of the elbow-lever 38, the consequence being that the short arm of said lever is moved forward and against the beveled portion of the spring-arm 37 to thereby move said spring-arm outward and carry the pin or stud from under a lead disk which may have been impaled upon the dog 35, whereby such lead disk will be free to fall through the slot 11. The instant that the coin passes oil the projection 39 the long arm of the angle or elbow lever will drop to its initial position, so that the short arm thereof will be carried out of contact with the spring-arm 37 to permit the latter, and hence the pin 36, to resume their primary positions to arrest the nickels or similarly-shaped lead disks. Of course the insertion of a lead disk will operate the lever 38 to effect the release of a previously inserted disk; but the instant that the second lead disk is carried against the point or tooth of the dog 35 in the manner hereinbefore described it will be impaled thereby, so that the use of two lead disks in succession cannot bring about the operation of the apparatus. Only a nickel will secure such operation.

In case of the breakage of the detent 32 or the failure of its spring 33 to move the same into the working position thereof the dog 35 will constitute an effective locking device for preventing a full stroke of the plunger 29 unless a nickel be seated in the eoncaved end of said plunger.

The pin 36 is located just above the slot 11. The distance between said pin and the rear wall of the slot is greater than the diameter of a penny or a coin of smaller diameter, so that such penny or coin of smaller diameter will pass through the opening between said pin and said rear wall. Such opening, however, is of less length than the diameter of a nickel, whereby the latter will be arrested by the pin or stop.

As will now appear, we provide means for preventing the operation of the coin con trolled mechanism by steel washers.

One of the plates 11 is apertured near the entering end of the coin-runway to receive the rear portion of said slot 40?- the poles or branches of a horseshoe-magnet} 40, which is suitably insulated from said, These poles at their upper ends ar fitted in a longitudinal slot 40 in the bottomi' plates.

magnet, but the steel washers will and will be momentarily retarded by the higher pole of said magnet and will thereafter fall through We'have described indetail certain parts arranged in certain ways to secure certain results, but of course the invention is not limited to such parts 'norqto the arrangement thereof in the manner set forth.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. In anapparatus of the class described, the combination of a coin-runway, a plunger, a check-operated detent for normally holding the plunger against motion, the plunger being adapted to carry a check therewith on its advancing movement, a shiftable dog arranged in the path of and adapted to be operated by a proper check to permit the full stroke of the plunger, and means for holding the checks in the path of the plunger.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a coin-runway, a plunger, a check-operated detent for normally holding the plunger against motion, the plunger being adapted to carry a check therewith on its advancing movement, a shiftable dog arranged in the path of and adapted to be operated by a proper check to permit the full stroke of the plunger, said shiftable dog having'a pointed working end to penetrate a. lead disk, and means for holding the checks in the path of the plunger.

3. In anapparatus of the class described, the combination of a coin-runway, a plunger, a check-operated detent for normally holding the plunger against motion, manually-operable means for advancing said plunger, and

the plunger being adapted to carry a check therewith on its advancing movement, ashiftable dog arranged in the path of and adapted to be operated by a proper check to permit the full stroke of the plunger, means for holding the checks in the path of the plunger, and

a receiver or carrier for an article cooperative with said manually-operable means.

4:. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a coin-runway, a plunger, a

check-operated detent for normally holding theplunger againstmotion,manually-operable means for advancing said plunger and the plunger being adapted to carry a check therewith on its advancing movement, a shiftable dog arranged in the path of said check and ng a pointed working end, means for holdingthe checks in the path of the plunger, and

'Ta receiver or carrier for an'article cooperative with said manually operable means.

5. In anapparatus of the class described, the combination of a coin-runway, a plungena check-operated detent for normally holding the plunger against motion, manually-operable means for advancing said plunger and the plunger being adapted to carry a check therewithon its advancing movement, a shiftable dog arranged in the'path of the check and having a pointed working end to'penetratea lead disk, astop for holding the checks and. .lead disks in the path of the plunger-and forholding a lead disk while the'same'is impaled by the pointed'end of the dog, check-operated means for moving said stop out of its'normal position, whereby the lead disk impaled bythe dog may drop therefrom, and a receiver or car-' rier for an article cooperative with saidmanv uallyroperable means. a

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a coin-runway, a plunger, a check-operated detent fornormally holding the plunger against motion manually-operable means for advancing said plunger and the plunger being adapted to carry a check therewith on its advancing movement, a shiftable dog arranged in the path of the check and having a pointed working end to penetrate a-lead disk, a stop for holding the checks and lead disks in the path of the plunger andfor holding a lead disk while the same is impaled by the pointed end of the dog, a carrier for said stop, and a lever one end of which is adapted to engage-said carrier to thereby move the stopin a direction to release a lead disk impaled upon the pointed end of the dog, the other end of the lever being in position to be actuated by a check as it is introduced into the coin-runway, and a receiver or carrier foran article cooperative with said manually-operable means.

7. In an apparatus of the class described having a coin-runway, a channel'into which said coin-runway opens, a plunger reciprocative in said channel, a check-operated detent arranged in the path of the checks as they leave the coin-runway and adapted to normally hold the plunger against motion, manually-operable means for advancing said plunger and the plunger being adapted to carry a check therewith on its advancing movement, a shiftable dog arranged in the path of and adapted to be operated by a proper check to permit'the full stroke of the plunger, a springarm provided with a pin near its free end projecting into said channel and constituting a stop to hold the check in the path of the plunger, and a lever one end of which is situated in proximity to the entering end of the coin-runway to be actuated by a check, and

the other end of which is adapted to operate said spring-arm to move said pin or stop out of its normal position, and a receiver or carrier for an article cooperative with said manually-operable means. i

8. A check-controlled apparatus having a coin-runway, a plunger, a channel in which the plunger is adapted to travel, a check-operated detent pivotally supported and having a working or locking portion disposed in the path of the plunger, a spring bearing against the detent to hold the working or looking portion thereof normally in'its effective position, manually-operable means for advancing the plunger, the plunger being adapted to carry a check therewith on its advancing movement, a shiftable dog arranged in the path of and adapted to be operated by a proper check to permit the full stroke of the plunger, a spring-arm providedwith a pin arranged in the path of the checks and adapted to uphold the same in the path of the plunger, and the bottom of the plunger-channel having an enlarged slot arranged in proximity to said stop, check-actuated means for moving the stop out of engagement with the check, and a receiver or carrier for an article cooperative with said manually-operable means.

9. An apparatus of the class described having a coin-runway, a plunger, a check-operated detent for normally holding the plunger against motion, manually-operable means for advancing said plunger, and the plunger being adapted to carry a check therewith on its advancing movement, a pivotally mounted gravity dog arranged in the path of and adapted to be operated by a proper check to permit the full stroke of the plunger and having a pointed working end to impale a lead disk, a stop for holding the checks in the path of the plunger, check-operated means for operating said stop in a direction to effect the release of the lead disks impaled by the dog, and a receiver or carrier for an article cooperative with said manually-operable means.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

YANCEY Q. CALDWELL. LOUIS M. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

HEATH SUTHERLANI), H. F. Goos'rREE. 

